1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to polycrystalline diamond compacts (PDC) used primarily in the oil and gas industry for drilling. More specifically, this invention relates to polycrystalline diamond cutters that utilize a substrate interface design that comprises a network of closed features that extend from the face of the substrate into the superabrasive layer.
2. Description of Related Art
Polycrystalline diamond compacts (PDC) often form the cutting structure of down hole tools, including drill bits (fixed cutter, roller cone and percussion bits), reamers and stabilizers in the oil and gas industry. A variety of PDC devices, specifically substrate interface designs have been described and are well known in the art. Generally, these devices do not have interface designs that include a network of closed shaped features that share common walls.
A polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) can be manufactured by a number of methods that are well known in the art. The typical process consists of essentially placing a substrate adjacent to a layer of diamond crystals in a refractory metal can. A back can is then positioned over the substrate and is sealed to form a can assembly. The can assembly is then placed into a cell made of an extrudible material such as pyrophyllite or talc. The cell is then subjected to conditions necessary for diamond-to-diamond bonding or sintering in a high pressure/high temperature press. This detail is provided to familiarize the reader with the PDC sintering technology. For more information regarding the manufacture of PDC cutters the reader is referred to U.S. Pat. No. 3,745,623, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for the material contained therein.
There are a variety of U.S. patent documents that are helpful in providing a reader with general background information regarding PDC cutter design and manufacture. The reader is referred to the following U.S. patent documents, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for the material contained therein: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,527,998, 4,539,018, 4,772,294, 4,941,891, 5,370,717, 5,384,470, 5,469,927, 5,560,754, 5,711,702, 5,871,060, 5,848,348, 5,890,552, 6,011,248, 6,063,333, 6,068,071, and 6,189,634.